


The Party

by ginny0612



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Christmas, Fluff, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-08
Updated: 2019-12-08
Packaged: 2021-02-18 03:24:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21720994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ginny0612/pseuds/ginny0612
Summary: Sherlock tries his best to ban the Christmas party at 221B.  It takes someone special to change his mind, and his heart.
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson
Comments: 20
Kudos: 56
Collections: Kat's Johnlock Xmas 2019, Sherlock Xmas 2020





	The Party

**Author's Note:**

> For Kat's Johnlock Christmas Challenge  
> Prompt: Reindeer Antlers  
> Also inspired by Mrs. Hudson's line in A Scandal in Belgravia, to Sherlock: "I wish you could have worn the antlers."

“This is happening whether or not you like it. Go on and roll your eyes and pout your lips, it isn’t going to work! Dear god, Rosie is three and she doesn’t act like this!”  
John waves his hands in exasperation. Sherlock looks forlorn and a little hurt, and he knows if he can keep this up for a while longer, there’s a good chance John will give in and cancel Christmas. Well, at least cancel the Christmas party that is meant to happen at 221B Baker Street in just a little over 24 hours. He’ll have to suffer through a few stare-downs and most likely a string of expletives from John, and then things can get back to normal. 

“Sherlock, grow the fu…what?!” 

Sherlock nods ever so slightly to the hall behind John. Turning, John immediately changes his demeanor. There stands Rosie, tears in her eyes, unsure why her two favorite people are yelling at one another. It’s a pitiful sight to behold, and they both move toward Rosie to pick her up. She raises her arms to Sherlock and in one swift movement she is sitting atop his shoulders, her head dangerously close to smacking the ceiling. Her tears turn to soft laughter as she twists Sherlock’s curls around her little fists, holding on for dear life. 

“I’m so sorry we woke you up, my little Rosebud.” 

John’s heart always skips a beat when he hears Sherlock call her by his pet name. He watches Sherlock transform instantly from a self-absorbed drama queen to a soft and attentive father. It’s only fitting that her pet name for him is Papa Bear, and John is Daddy. As John stares lovingly at them, he and Sherlock breathe a sigh of relief that she didn’t hear more. The relief lasts only a moment, as Rosie stops laughing, turns to John and asks, “Why were you yelling at Papa?” Her eyes search John for an answer. He knows her well enough to know he can’t lie and say they were just playing. She is too smart for that. Sherlock reads to her every night from his book The Art of Deduction. All this time they both thought he was boring her to sleep. Apparently, she has been listening. Sherlock looks instantly befuddled, and is relieved when John answers her almost immediately, saving him the horror of stumbling and stuttering a reason. 

“Papa and I are having a disagreement about the party.”

Sherlock is again relieved that John hasn’t thrown him under the bus and made him out to be the bad guy. Even when they disagree, they try to assume a united front as parents. They have an unspoken agreement that Rosie’s wellbeing is always of utmost importance.

Rosie frowns and looks at Sherlock. “You don’t like Christmas.” It’s a statement, not a question. Sherlock feels as if he has swallowed a rock that has landed in the pit of his stomach. How is she so perceptive at 3? In any other instance, he would be proud of the deduction….but as he is the object of her deduction, all he can do is look to John for help. John does not disappoint.

“Don’t be silly! Papa loves reindeer as much as the next person!” And with that he lifts Rosie from Sherlock’s shoulders and tickles her until she is giggling again. Sherlock breathes a sigh of relief. He and John don’t discuss the party again until Rosie is fast asleep for the night. Sherlock is quite certain that John will cancel the party and explain it to Rosie. Rosie has another idea.

The following morning, Sherlock awakes to the smells of baking. Christmas cookies?? It can’t be. John was going to cancel the party. 

Sherlock shuffles to the kitchen. His deduction of this morning is correct. Meaning his deduction from last night was not….

Rosie runs to him immediately and grabs his hand before he can say a word. John is grinning from ear to ear. Sherlock lets Rosie lead him into the living room. He can do nothing but stare as he gazes around the flat. The skull on the mantle is wearing a pair of reindeer antlers. Rosie points to the wall opposite. There is the bison skull, looking festive in a pair of reindeer antlers of its own. And perched atop the tree, where there was a star last night, is a twinkling set of antlers. Sherlock is again stunned into silence. How does Rosie do it? 

Almost as if he has asked this question out loud and Rosie is answering it, she hands him a headband of his own….a red band with antlers sticking out the sides and small silver bells hanging off the antlers in various places. Sherlock does not reach for the headband. Instead, he drops into the nearest chair and bends forward so Rosie can place the antlers on his head. She squeals in delight, and to Sherlock it is the most comforting sound he has ever heard.

That night the Christmas party at 221B was the happiest that Sherlock and John had ever known. Sherlock just grinned as Rosie pointed out to every guest her ‘Papa Reindeer’. And when Mrs. Hudson whispered to him “I’m so glad you wore the antlers”, he whispered back, “Happy Christmas.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this fluffy Christmas fic. It was a lot of fun to write!


End file.
